President Bush flatly said last week that those who thought the Iraq war had increased global terrorism were “naive” and “mistaken.” Apparently that includes the nation’s 16 intelligence agencies, which reached that conclusion in the recently declassified National Intelligence Estimate report, saying that the war had become a “cause celebre” for jihadi recruitment efforts.
Granted, the estimate also contains some conclusions that give Bush ammunition, such as the statement that “should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves and be perceived to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight,” which the administration said underscored the importance of winning in Iraq.
But overall, the New York Times was right to characterize the report as one that undercuts the president’s optimistic statements that “America is winning the war on terror.” In fact, the report argues, Islamic terrorists “are increasing in both number and geographic dispersion,” and the high-profile carnage and occupation in Iraq is helping swell those ranks.
Bush can run, but he can’t hide from these facts.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Legally, the city of Wichita still hasn’t made the case as to its rightful ownership of James Rosati’s sculpture “Upright Form V,” part of which was mistakenly sold to Matthew Cuellar at a 2004 surplus auction. The painful bottom line, as ruled by the Kansas Court of Appeals in upholding a District Court decision: “Although the bargain is a bad one for the city, it was caused chiefly by its own negligence.” That’s true. But it’s also true that in sticking it to the city — by paying $275 for a sculpture that could be worth $30,000 — Cuellar and partner Jason Rogers are sticking it to their fellow citizens. That stinks.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Today marks the Rolling Stones’ Wichita debut, but the band already has changed state law. In 1999, dozens of unnamed Kansas lawmakers went on a Sprint-sponsored road trip to Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., to see the Stones at a time when legislation that would have negatively affected Sprint was pending (it later expired). After howls from The Eagle editorial board and other quarters, the 2000 Legislature unenthusiastically passed an ethics bill requiring lobbyists to file monthly reports detailing how much they spent on each lawmaker and limiting recreational gifts. Meaning Kansas government is more transparent, thanks to Mick and his men.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Part of my daily routine as I slog through the process of cartoon manufacturing is to draw up a few “roughs” of potential ideas. I show these to some of my co-workers to gauge their reactions. If there’s a cartoon in the stack that they don’t furrow their brows inquisitively at, that they don’t scratch their heads and say “Huh???” about, I take it as encouragement and go back to the drawing board to finalize it in pen and ink. Sometimes I may even like the rejects better than the one I settle on. And since I’m not contributing nearly as much to this blog as everyone else, I’ve decided to hoist these toon rejects on you, dear bloggers, every now and then. It gets me off the hook a bit for my blog-slacking ways, and gives me the opportunity to test out the ideas on you, perhaps the toughest, most irascible bunch of skeet-shooter commentators since Opinion Line. So here are a few roughed-out cartoons.
Fire at will.
Posted by Richard Crowson
The decision to let a publishing company in Iowa produce Kansas magazine should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever picked up the quarterly oversized leaflet in a doctor’s waiting room. A subscriber list of only 43,000 should tell you that it didn’t do much to promote tourism. Kansas has more to offer than a close-up of a meadowlark and the wavy green terrain in the Flint Hills. The Des Moines publisher that will receive our tax dollars has produced Better Homes & Gardens and Midwest Living magazines; it has experience in producing quality tourist-based publications.
Department of Commerce spokesman Caleb Asher defended the move to the Iowa publisher, explaining it “will help them have a better understanding of Kansas, and promote the state through their magazines.”
The Iowa company’s landing of a Kansas-focused contract demonstrates a valuable lesson to Kansas businesses — exceed at your business, and you’ll find no borders to your market.
Posted by Angie Holladay
